SWISS engineer Frank Rinderknecht has completed his crossing of the Channel in an amphibious car in three hours 13 minutes.

Although it was well outside the record time set by Sir Richard Branson two years ago, Mr Rinderknecht is claiming the record for the first crossing by a hydrofoil car.

Mr Rinderknecht set off in the specially-designed Rinspeed vehicle from Dover Harbour at 9.45am today. He said his first aim was to get to France safely, and the second was to break Sir Richard's record of one hour 40 minutes and six seconds.

But shortly after mid-day he was still some way from the French coast, and he eventually drove ashore at Sangatte at 12.58pm.

The car has a two-cylinder 750cc engine, with 160 horse power and can do 120 miles an hour on land and 16 knots in the water.

Mr Rinderknecht had made a trial run across Dover Harbour at 8.30am this morning before returning to the beach for the attempt itself.